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FOOTBALL

Odegaard youngest ever Real Madrid debutant

Norwegian football prodigy Martin Ødegaard on Saturday night became the youngest player ever to debut for Real Madrid, taking to the pitch against Getafe at just 16 years, five months and six days old.

Odegaard youngest ever Real Madrid debutant
Martin Ødegaard on the bench at the Estadio Bernabeu before Real Madrid's match against Almería last month. Photo: EFE / NTB scanpix
The Drammen-born wonder boy smashed the previous record held for over 30 years by Spanish striker Sebastian Losada, who was 17 years and 6 days old when he first played for the team in 1984. 
 
“I was a little bit nervous about playing in front of so many people,” Odegaard said after the match. “But I tried to enjoy the moment. It's a special day, I feel very proud and very happy.” 
 
Ødegaard was called off the substitute’s bench 58 minutes into Real Madrid’s 7-3 victory, ending his frustrating four-month wait playing for Madrid Castilla, which function’s as the Real Madrid b-team. 
 
Once on the pitch, he came close to helping add a goal to Real Madrid’s tally, making a brilliant pass which team-mate Jesé Rodríguez Ruiz then failed to convert into an easy goal. 
 
Ordegaard was courted by some of the world’s biggest clubs including Manchester City and Bayern Munich before opening to jon Real Madrid. 
 
Real Madrid’s outgoing manager Carlo Ancelotti came under fire earlier this year for repeatedly denying Odegaard his time in the limelight, but he maintained firmly that the young player would have to wait until the right time.  
 

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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